2020 AMO Offsite Tours

***REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED FOR ALL TOURS***

When you register for the Offsite, you will be required to choose yes or no for each tour.

Many of the high-performance buildings on NREL's campus have achieved Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) and/or net zero energy status. By incorporating state-of-the-art energy efficiency and renewable energy technologies, these buildings are models for sustainability.

Tuesday, January 28

The Research Support Facility (RSF) showcases high-performance design features in a large, occupied office building. Many of the technologies and strategies used in the RSF are a direct result of NREL's energy efficiency and renewable energy research efforts. The RSF uses 50% less energy than a building built to current commercial code and achieves the U.S. Green Building Council's Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Platinum rating. Researchers working in the RSF use real-time building performance data to study the building's energy use and make adjustments. The 362,055-square-foot RSF is an award-winning model for LEED Platinum, net zero, and high-performance building design that incorporates the best energy efficiency and environmental performance technologies and practices in a large-scale commercial office building.

Thursday, January 30

Energy Systems Integration Facility (ESIF)

The Energy Systems Integration Facility is the nation's premier facility for research, development, and demonstration of the components and strategies needed to optimize our entire energy system. ESIF was strategically designed to meet crucial research objectives for integrating clean energy technologies into the grid in a way that is safe, efficient, cost-effective, and respectful to the surrounding environment. The ESIF also has unique capabilities to support the integration of energy carriers such as electricity, thermal, fuels, and water with infrastructure such as transportation and communications. The 182,500-square-foot LEED Platinum Energy Systems Integration Facility features 14 laboratories, an Insight Visualization Center, a High-Bay Control Room, and the most energy efficient super computer in the world.

Science and Technology Facility (S&TF)

Solar cell, thin-film, and nanostructure research are conducted in the Science and Technology Facility (S&TF). The 71,347-square-foot S&TF was the first federal LEED Platinum building. Designed specifically to reduce time delays associated with transferring technology to industry, the S&TF is a multi-level facility of lab space, office space, and lobby connected by an elevated bridge to the SERF. The S&TF houses advanced material synthesis, characterization, and general support laboratories.

The S&TF provides numerous capabilities for a wide range of scientific investigations. Many of these capabilities are associated with specific cluster tools for modular deposition, processing, and characterization techniques. The cluster tools are configured around a system using a central robotic arm to transfer samples. Adjacent to the cluster tools is a 3,500-ft2 state-of-the-art cleanroom.

Flatirons Campus (wind site)

NREL's state-of-the-art wind research facilities at the National Wind Technology Center (NWTC) include prototypes rated from 400 watts to 3 megawatts, providing a venue for groundbreaking innovations and collaboration with partners. NWTC is the nation’s premier wind energy, water power, and grid integration research facility.

Facilities at the NWTC include:

• Field research validation sites with six wind turbines and four meteorological towers
• Three dynamometers for assessing wind turbine drivetrains and water power-take-off systems
• Structural research facilities, which verify blades and components
• The Controllable Grid Interface, which provides grid operators with valuable performance information.